This Week in Powersports Racing – The week of June 18, 2023

News and stories from Powersports racing in the United States.

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Jett Lawrence Remains Undefeated in 2023 Pro Motocross Championship with Fourth Consecutive Win at High Point

Famed High Point Raceway hosted the East Coast debut of the 2023 Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, on Saturday, which featured the sport’s own unique Father’s Day celebration at the GEICO Motorcycles High Point National. The 46th running of the legendary event welcomed its largest crowd ever as rain on Friday coupled with dense morning cloud cover resulted in wet conditions that continued to evolve as sunshine emerged and started to dry out the racing surface. The most competitive afternoon of racing of the young season ended with the same result, as Australia’s Lawrence brothers both stood atop the overall podium for the fourth time to remain unbeaten and continue the dominance by Team Honda HRC, as Jett Lawrence remained perfect  in the 450 Class and Hunter Lawrence continued his unbeaten streak in the 250 Class.

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Moto 1

The first moto of the day began with Jett Lawrence out front for his sixth MotoSport.comHoleshot ahead of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Cooper Webb and Muc-Off/FXR/ClubMX Yamaha’s Garrett Marchbanks. Behind them, Progressive Insurance ECSTAR Suzuki’s Ken Roczen, making his first start of the season, slotted into fourth but made several quick moves on the opening lap to claw his way up to second.

Lawrence’s lead was three seconds at the completion of the opening lap, but Roczen went to work on chipping away at the deficit. While the German veteran was able to keep the Aussie upstart honest, Lawrence comfortably maintained the advantage until the halfway point of the moto. Roczen closed to within 1.5 seconds and as Lawrence looked to respond he tucked his front end on a downhill and went down. That allowed Roczen to take control of the moto and Marchbanks to move up into second as Lawrence remounted in third. With Roczen out front, it marked the first time this season that a rider other than Lawrence led a lap.

Lawrence went into rebound mode and was able to wrangle second from Marchbanks. At that point, with about a dozen minutes left in the moto, Roczen and Lawrence were separated by 5.1 seconds. Lawrence rode consistent, clean laps to close back in on the Suzuki and with six minutes to go the lead pair was separated by less than a second. Lawrence was patient and was able to reclaim the lead, but Roczen countered to put himself up front again. The Honda rider mounted another attack about a half lap later and secured the top spot for a third time. The battle was poised to continue with two laps to go, but Roczen tucked his front end and went down. He got back up quickly, but needed an extended period of time to get his Suzuki restarted, which cost him multiple positions on the track. He eventually resumed in seventh.

With the pressure gone, Lawrence cruised home to his seventh moto win in a row, which established a new record to open a 450 Class career. He took the checkered flag 26.2 seconds ahead of Marchbanks, who earned a career-best finish in second, while Webb rounded out the moto podium in third. Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Adam Cianciarulo was fourth, followed by Sport Clips/Beachview Treatment/Airline Vacuum Kawasaki’s Ty Masterpool in fifth.

Jett Lawrence is off to a historic start in his 450 Class career
with eight moto wins and four straight overall victories.
Photo: Align Media

Moto 2

The deciding moto saw Roczen storm out to the early lead with the MotoSport.comHoleshot, followed by Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Aaron Plessinger and Cianciarulo, while Lawrence experienced his worst start of the season in fourth. Known for his first lap speed, Roczen put the hammer down to open the moto and build a gap on the field. Cianciarulo was able to pass Plessinger for second, while Lawrence felt the pressure from Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Dylan Ferrandis from fifth.

A three-rider battle soon started to unfold between Cianciarulo, Plessinger and Lawrence. As Plessinger looked to make a move on Cianciarulo he slid out, which caused Lawrence to stop to avoid hitting him. That moved Ferrandis into third, briefly, before Lawrence reclaimed the position.

As the first 10 minutes of the moto passed, the top three had distanced themselves from the rest of the field and were separated by 10 seconds. As the race carried on through the middle portion and approached the final 10 minutes Lawrence closed in on Cianciarulo for second and made the pass with relative ease. The lead duo were separated by 3.5 seconds as Lawrence sought to track down the top spot. Lawrence continued to ride the fastest laps on the track and it allowed him to make big gains on Roczen, which was further aided by lapped riders.

With six minutes to go Lawrence was within striking distance of Roczen and went on the attack as soon as the opportunity presented itself. An outside line on an uphill off-camber gave Lawrence the momentum he needed to surge past Roczen and put another moto win within reach. Roczen kept him honest for a while, but Lawrence closed out the moto strong to keep his undefeated record intact by 2.4 seconds over Roczen, with Ferrandis in third.

In his first race of the Pro Motocross season
Ken Roczen finished in the runner-up spot (7-2)
Photo: Align Media

Overall

Lawrence’s fourth straight 1-1 sweep equals the single-most-successful class start in the history of the sport as his eight consecutive moto wins to open his 450 Class career is shared with Hall of Famer David Bailey, who accomplished the same feat to start his 500cc career during the 1984 season. In his first start of the summer Roczen finished in the runner-up spot (7-2), while Cianciarulo finished in third (4-4) for his first podium result since the 2021 High Point National.

Lawrence added even more to advantage in the championship standings, which now sits at 49 points after four races over Ferrandis, while Webb sits third, 53 points out of the lead.

Adam Cianciarulo’s consistent 4-4 effort landed him
on the overall podium for the first time since the 2021 season.
Photo: Align Media

Jett Lawrence, Team Honda HRC
“It was tricky. You had to wait and be patient [with the track conditions]. It was sick being able to race with Kenny [Roczen]. I used to look up to him and now I got to race him, so I checked that off the list. It was a tough day. I didn’t feel too comfortable on the track with the ruts and everything, but I held on to go 1-1. It was a struggle of a day, but I’m pumped.”

Ken Roczen, Progressive Insurance ECSTAR Suzuki
“I am beyond stoked. I appreciate all the support from the fans today. This was a tough one to come back to with the track conditions. I can’t believe I got second [overall] after that first moto with the crash. I felt good at the beginning [of Moto 2], but I struggled with lines and Jett was riding great. I think I’m going to have to do some more of these.”

Adam Cianciarulo, Monster Energy Kawasaki
“That’s back-to-back weeks where the track was really difficult. You had to be 100% focused the whole time out there. It really was a mental battle as much as it was a physical battle. I had good pace early in the moto and that almost means more to me than the result. I still have a long way to go but I’m so excited to be up here.”

450 Class Overall Results (Moto Finish // Points)

1. Jett Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld.,Australia, Honda (1-1 // 50)
2. Ken Roczen, Mattstedt, Germany, Suzuki (7-2, 36)
3. Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki (4-4 // 36)
4. Dylan Ferrandis, Avignon, France, Yamaha (6-3 // 35)
5. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., KTM (3-6 // 35)
6. Garrett Marchbanks, Coalville, Utah, Yamaha (2-8 // 35)
7. Ty Masterpool, Fallon, Nev., Kawasaki (5-7 // 30)
8. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM (8-5 // 29)
9. Grant Harlan, Justin, Texas, Yamaha (11-9 // 22)
10. Derek Drake, San Luis Obispo, Calif., Suzuki (9-12 // 21)

450 Class Championship Standings (Round 4 of 11)

1. Jett Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda – 200
2. Dylan Ferrandis, Avignon, France, Yamaha – 151
3. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., KTM – 147
4. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM – 138
5. Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki – 134
6. Ty Masterpool, Fallon, Nev., Kawasaki – 92
7. Lorenzo Locurcio, Valencia, Venezuela, GASGAS – 85
8. Fredrik Noren, Lidköping, Sweden, Suzuki – 81
9. Derek Drake, San Luis Obispo, Calif., Suzuki – 79
10. Grant Harlan, Justin, Texas, Yamaha – 78

https://youtube.com/watch?v=9O3ipoc_988%3Fversion%3D3%26rel%3D1%26showsearch%3D0%26showinfo%3D1%26iv_load_policy%3D1%26fs%3D1%26hl%3Den-US%26autohide%3D2%26wmode%3Dtransparent

450 Class Highlights – GEICO Motorcycle High Point National

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Moto 1

The opening moto began with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s RJ Hampshire out front with the MotoSport.com Holeshot, just ahead of his teammate Jalek Swoll and Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Jo Shimoda. However, Shimoda tipped over in the second turn and caused a log jam for the rest of the field, including Hunter Lawrence, the championship point leader. Both riders resumed with starts outside the top 10.

The clear track proved to be a major advantage for Hampshire who sprinted out to an early multi-second lead over Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing’s Haiden Deegan, who passed Swoll for second. Behind the leaders, Lawrence and Shimoda began a climb through the field, with Lawrence able to carve his way up the running order.

Despite the tricky conditions Lawrence made it look easy as he picked off riders, one by one, and broke into the top five nearly halfway into the moto. Back out front, in full control of the moto, Hampshire crashed out of the lead, which allowed Deegan to assume the top spot as Hampshire quickly remounted in second, more than three seconds behind his Yamaha rival.

The  final minute of the moto saw Hampshire erase his deficit and mount a late attack for the lead. The rookie rider responded as Deegan looked to run clean, defined lines and force Hampshire to venture elsewhere. As a result, some minor bobbles by Hampshire allowed Deegan to extend his advantage. Hampshire closed in once more as they took the white flag. The Husqvarna rider bided his time and pulled the trigger on a pass with about a quarter lap to go. Their lines came together and resulted in some contact, which briefly halted Deegan’s momentum and allowed Hampshire to continue on.

Hampshire rebounded from his early misfortune to nab his second moto win of the season, 2.6 seconds ahead of Deegan, while Lawrence battled his way into podium position in third. Swoll followed in fourth, while Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Ryder DiFrancesco rounded out the top five.

Hunter Lawrence’s fourth Moto 2 win of the season
vaulted him to a fourth overall victory with 3-1 finishes.
Photo: Align Media

Moto 2

The final moto got underway with several of the sport’s newest faces out front, as Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Levi Kitchen grabbed the MotoSport.com Holeshot, but was quickly overcome by Team Honda HRC rookie Chance Hymas, which dropped Kitchen to second ahead of DiFrancesco. Behind them, many of the lead riders from the first moto found themselves on the ground, which included Hampshire, Deegan, and Swoll. Lawrence was also deep inside the top 20 off the start, but it didn’t take long for the point leader to move forward and slot into the top 10.

The clear track allowed Hymas to sprint out to a multi-second lead over the field, as Kitchen and DiFrancesco settled into second and third, respectively. As this unfolded, Lawrence put in a charge to break into the top five. He continued his push and eventually worked his way around DiFrancesco into third within the first 10 minutes.

Hymas continued to control the moto as it surpassed the halfway point, but Lawrence was on a tear forward, catching and passing Kitchen for second. Once there, it didn’t take long for the Australian to make big gains on the deficit to his teammate. Once he got within striking distance Lawrence wasted little time in making the move. He took advantage of some lapped riders to make an easy pass and seize control of the moto.

As Lawrence pulled away Hymas was forced to deal with pressure from behind from two-time world champion and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider Tom Vialle. The Frenchman looked comfortable in the conditions and was able to make a quick, clean pass on Hymas to move into second. The Honda rookie continued to lose ground to his competitors and eventually lost hold of third to Kitchen late in the moto.

Out front, Lawrence continued to build on his lead in the closing stages of the moto and soon found himself more than 10 seconds clear of the field. He took his fourth straight Moto 2 victory by 18.6 seconds over Vialle, while a last-lap battle for third unfolded between Kitchen and Shimoda, from which the Japanese rider prevailed.

Another resilient outing for RJ Hampshire earned
him a runner-up finish following 1-7 moto scores.
Photo: Align Media

Overall

Lawrence’s impeccable Moto 2 efforts once again landed him atop the overall podium to remain unbeaten. It marked the third time this season that 3-1 finishes proved to be the winning formula for the Australian, who now has five career wins. After a resilient ride to recover from his first-lap crash, Hampshire secured the runner-up spot [1-7], while Deegan earned his third podium finish in four races this season in third [2-6].

At the conclusion of the race, officials reviewed footage to confirm that Lawrence had violated Section 2.10, Item b.iii., 9.c.** of the AMA Pro Racing Pro Motocross Rulebook pertaining to the adherence of signal flags. As a result, Lawrence was penalized seven championship points. Event results were not affected.

The impressive winning streak to open the season has put Lawrence 28 points ahead of Deegan, who moved into second, and 42 points ahead of Hampshire, who now sits third. Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Justin Cooper, who entered the day second in points, was forced to miss the afternoon motos following a crash in practice and dropped to fifth in the championship standings.

Rookie Haiden Deegan captured his third podium finish in four rounds with 2-6 results.
Photo: Align Media

Hunter Lawrence, Team Honda HRC
“It’s a good habit I guess [winning Moto 2]. I’m stoked. This track was wild. This is the country club of motocross so we’re going to watch Jett [Lawrence in Moto 2] and then we’ll go cheer on our buddy [golfer] Rickie Fowler at the U.S. Open. He loves moto and we should all support him.”

RJ Hampshire, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
“That’s all me [in the Moto 2 crash]. I got a decent start but I guess I came in too hot into the second corner. It’s a bummer I took out my teammate too. I’ll take it though. Second moto win of the season and another podium.”

Haiden Deegan, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing
“That was some crazy racing. I crashed on the start and got ran over. Kind of the whole nine yards. My thought after that was either crash or get on the podium today. I gave it my all and it paid off.”

250 Class Overall Results (Moto Finishes // Points)

1. Hunter Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld.,Australia, Honda (3-1 // 45)
2. RJ Hampshire, Hudson, Fla., Husqvarna (1-7 // 39)
3. Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha (2-6 // 37)
4. Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Kawasaki (7-3 // 34)
5. Tom Vialle, Avignon, France, KTM (11-2 // 32)
6. Chance Hymas, Pocatello, Idaho, Honda (8-5 // 29)
7. Ryder DiFrancesco, Bakersfield, Calif., Kawasaki (5-8 // 29)
8. Jalek Swoll, Belleview, Fla., Husqvarna (4-11 // 28)
9. Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Yamaha (12-4 // 27)
10. Max Vohland, Sacramento, Calif., KTM (6-12 // 24)

250 Class Championship Standings (Round 4 of 11)

1. Hunter Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld.,Australia, Honda – 175
2. Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha – 147
3. RJ Hampshire, Hudson, Fla., Husqvarna – 133
4. Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Kawasaki – 129
5. Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha – 121
6. Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Yamaha – 115
7. Max Vohland, Sacramento, Calif., KTM – 107
8. Tom Vialle, Avignon, France, KTM – 100
9. Chance Hymas, Pocatello, Idaho, Honda – 92
10. Ryder DiFrancesco, Bakersfield, Calif., Kawasaki – 92

**Rule: 2.10. Signal Flags, b. Warning Flags and Signal Lights: iii. White Flag with Red Cross or Red/White Flashing Lights: 9. If Race Direction determines that there was a blatant violation of this rule, the penalty for non-compliance will be: During a Moto Race, if any positions are gained, the loss of the number of positions gained, plus the points and purse equal to two additional positions in the final results for that race, plus two additional points.

Mees Works His Magic at DuQuoin Mile

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (June 17, 2023) – The man, the myth, the Mile legend; Jared Mees (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle/Rogers Racing/SDI Racing FTR750) notched up his third consecutive Mile victory in thrilling fashion at the conclusion of Saturday night’s DuQuoin Mile.

Progressive American Flat Track, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, finally made its much-awaited return to DuQuoin State Fairgrounds in DuQuoin, Illinois, and the “Magic Mile” did not disappoint. Reigning Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle king Mees was forced to pull another rabbit out of his helmet after going back and forth for 12 minutes plus two laps with the superstar trio of Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT), Briar Bauman (No. 3 Parts Plus/Jacob Companies KTM 790 Duke), and Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750).

The four swapped positions throughout with none showing an obvious edge. And all four were within touching distance as they exited Turn 2 for the final time, operating almost as if a single entity.

But somehow, someway, Mees once again put his name at the top of the results sheet after the pack stormed past the checkered flag.

Adding to Mees’ joy was the fact that runner-up Robinson slotted between the winner and points leader Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT), with the Estenson ace pushed outside the top two for the first time all season long despite taking the checkered flag just 0.097 seconds behind Mees.

The victory was the 26th Mile win of Mees’ career, breaking a tie with icons Bubba Shobert and Bryan Smith to claim sole possession of third place on the all-time order.

He said “This track is so much fun. At the start of the race and in the mid-part, I wasn’t really in my groove; I was spinning it up bad, and I just didn’t have good roll corner speed. I just kind of sat back and saw Briar had some really good lines. I kind of copied some of his stuff and moved around and found home. Hats off to my entire crew for working their butts off and giving me the best motorcycle possible.

“I’m really stoked to have won the DuQuoin Mile. I’m happy to have gotten this one off the list.”

It was almost unfair, then, that Bauman wasn’t rewarded with a trip to the podium. Despite finishing fourth, the Main Event was his most competitive ride to date on the developing Rick Ware Racing KTM, having led multiple laps and been in with a shot at victory to the very end.

Fifth place, meanwhile, was taken in a close fight by JD Beach (No. 95 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) over Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian FTR750), the two finishing just under six seconds back of Mees. They had done all they could to make it a six-rider tilt at the front during the race’s early stages, with Fisher momentarily joining the lead pack before falling back into the clutches of Beach.

Seventh went to Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 JMC Motorsports/Fairway Ford Indian FTR750) in another duel for position, this one with Bronson Bauman (No. 37 Fastrack Racing/2 Wheelz KTM 790 Duke), while Dan Bromley (No. 62 Memphis Shades/Corbin/Vinson Construction Yamaha MT-07) and Kolby Carlile (No. 36 G&G Racing/Yamaha Racing Yamaha MT-07) rounded out the top ten.

Daniels’ perfect podium record still has him leading in the points, but the streaking Mees is now within single digits in second, moving to within nine points of the first (198-189) as the season reaches its halfway point.

Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER

The prodigious Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) came out on top of a race-long six-rider dogfight for top honors in an unforgettable Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER Main Event.

From the very beginning of the contest, it was evident the checkered flag would be decided between Drane, Chase Saathoff (No. 88 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R), Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R), Max Whale (No. 18 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F), Kody Kopp (No. 1 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F), and Trevor Brunner (No. 21 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F).

The six factory-backed pilots immediately separated at the front and just as quickly determined they could not separate from one another.

Saathoff controlled the pace from the bottom-line for much of the race. But as the minutes ticked away, that control became more and more tenuous as Lowe, Drane, and Whale all took their turns at the front of the group.

Drane actually ran in sixth with less than a minute to go but blasted past fellow Aussie Whale to reclaim the lead as the decisive final two laps kicked off.

The Estenson pilot managed to hold that position to open the final lap but saw Saathoff dive underneath entering Turn 3, while Lowe powered by both exiting 4. But Drane nudged back ahead as the pack swarmed to the checkered flag, beating Saathoff to the line by a mere 0.011 seconds, followed fractionally by Lowe in third.

Whale was just 0.081 seconds off the win but relegated to fourth, with Kopp and Brunner completing the top six in that order and meters away from victory themselves.

After the race, Drane said, “It’s so good… We’ve been working so hard all season and to get my second win is awesome. All these people from Australia are here tonight, and they’ve all been helping me. It’s so cool.”

Third Turner Racing pilot Morgen Mischler (No. 13 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) registered a lonely race to seventh. He finished some three-and-a-half seconds off the win after coming up short in an early bid to track the lead pack down.

Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 D&D Racing/Certified KTM 450 SX-F) won out in a three-rider battle for eighth waged another six seconds back of Mischler. The ‘19 class champ narrowly defeated 1st Impressions Husqvarna teammates Chad Cose (No. 49 1st Impressions Race Team/Husqvarna Racing FC450) and James Ott (No. 19 1st Impressions Race Team/Husqvarna Racing FC450), who rounded out the top ten, respectively.

Reigning champ Kopp continues to lead the way in his title defense. However, Saathoff has drawn that much closer thanks to a fifth consecutive podium finish and is now just nine points behind in second (166-157).

COOPER WEBB AND TOM VIALLE CLAIM TOP-FIVE RESULTS AT HIGH POINT NATIONAL

MT. MORRIS, Pa. – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing pair Cooper Webb and Tom Vialle both raced to top-five results in Round 4 of the 2023 Pro Motocross Championship at High Point, with teammates Aaron Plessinger finishing P8 in 450MX and Maximus Vohland ninth overall in the 250MX division.

Amidst rain-soaked early morning conditions, Webb piloted his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION to P2 in the final 450MX qualifying session and eighth on combined times, before rocketing into second position in the opening premier class moto. A grueling track provided deep, rutted conditions for the field, with Webb putting in a clean ride to finish third.

A mid-pack start for Webb in the second outing saw him make a charge through the pack on his way to sixth-place, which is where he would remain for the second High Point moto. That placed him fifth overall for the weekend and he’s currently in the championship. 

Cooper Webb: “It was an up-and-down day here at High Point. The second qualifier was good with a P2, before in the first moto I got a great start, rode consistent, solid, and got third, which was a good step. Second moto, just got an average start and didn’t do much with it and ended up sixth. Fifth overall on the day – not our best day, not our worst day – but we’ll enjoy this off weekend and come back strong at RedBud.”

450 Class teammate Plessinger began his day at Mt. Morris with ninth overall in qualifying, before an unfortunate poor start in the opening moto saw the Ohio native put in a hard charge to secure an eighth-place result.

The ruts hardened by the time the second motos arrived, with the corners featuring multiple lines throughout the circuit. Plessinger jumped out to a second-place start, and was in the fight with the leaders, before a fall a few laps in saw him tumble to P6. After remounting, he would ride into fifth place, to register an 8-5 scorecard for eighth overall and fourth in the standings.

Aaron Plessinger: “High Point started off very muddy! I didn’t ride great in practice and then tried a couple of changes for the first moto, which didn’t work in my favor – I didn’t ride too good at all. Second moto, I made some better changes and was in third, but went down, unfortunately. Charged back, was riding good, but yeah, we’ve got some homework to do before RedBud.”

In 250MX, Vialle navigated the deep conditions to 13th place in combined qualifying. A crash in the opening moto saw the two-time MX2 World Champion make an array of passes as he charged through the field, eventually crossing the line in 11th place.

A top 10 start in moto two saw the Frenchman put his skills on display as he moved forward, landing P2 by the time the checkered flag flew. That placed him fifth overall for the round and he’s now eighth in the championship following four rounds.

Tom Vialle: “It was very muddy here at High Point at the beginning of the day. First moto, unfortunately, I fell in the first corner with another rider – I had nowhere to go, so I charged through the field for 11th. Second moto was a better start, which was important for vision, and then I got in behind Hunter [Lawrence] and was on him for a lot of the race, and finished in P2 which was good. Two weeks before the next one, my wrist was okay here as we taped it up very good, so the rest will be good.”

Teammate Vohland put in a consistent effort at High Point, powering his KTM 250 SX-F to 11th place in qualifying. A solid opening moto saw the Californian finish in sixth position, before a 12th-place ride in moto two saw him take 10th overall for the first east coast round of the season. He currently sits seventh in the points race.

Maximus Vohland: “First moto, I started decently and pushed as hard as I could, but was struggling a little with the conditions and finished in sixth place. In the second moto, I was in the first turn carnage and was toward the back, then had another big crash on lap one. Remounted and battled back to 12th for 10th overall. Not what we wanted, but I’m healthy and looking forward to RedBud.”

Next Race: July 1 – Buchanan, MichiganResults 450MX Class – High Point National
1. Jett Lawrence (AUS), Honda, 1-1
2. Ken Roczen (GER), SUZ, 7-2
3. Adam Cianciarulo (USA), Kawasaki, 4-4
OTHER KTM
5. Cooper Webb (USA), KTM, 3-6
8. Aaron Plessinger (USA), KTM, 8-5
17. Max Miller (USA), KTM
20. Trevor Schmidt (USA), KTM
23. Christopher Prebula (USA), KTM
32. Jeffrey Walker (USA), KTM

Results 250MX Class – High Point National
1. Hunter Lawrence (AUS), Honda, 3-1
2. RJ Hampshire (USA), Husqvarna, 1-7
3. Haiden Deegan (USA), Yamaha, 2-6
OTHER KTM
5. Tom Vialle (FRA), KTM, 11-2
10. Maximus Vohland (USA), KTM, 6-12
16. Derek Kelley (USA), KTM
18. Slade Smith (RSA), KTM
24. Blaze Cremaldi (USA), KTM
29. Gerhard Matamoros (GRE), KTM
36. Skyler Leaf (USA), KTM
39. Jason Neidigh (USA), KTM
42. Matti Jorgensen (DEN), KTM

Standings 450MX Class 2023 after 4 of 11 rounds
1. Jett Lawrence, 200 points
2. Dylan Ferrandis, 151
3. Cooper Webb, 147
4. Aaron Plessinger, 138
OTHER KTM
24. Dante Oliveira, 15
25. Max Miller, 13
26. Christopher Prebula, 12
27. Tyler Stepek, 11
39. Jeffrey Walker, 1

Standings 250MX Class 2023 after 4 of 11 rounds
1. Hunter Lawrence, 182 points
2. Haiden Deegan, 147
3. RJ Hampshire, 133
OTHER KTM
7. Maximus Vohland, 107
8. Tom Vialle, 100
19. Derek Kelley, 24
25. Slade Smith, 12
29. Josh Varize, 4
32. Marcus Phelps, 2

TOP-FIVE FINISHES FOR RED BULL KTM’S MAX WHALE AND KODY KOPP IN DUQUOIN MILE

DUQUOIN, Ill. – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing teammates Max Whale and Kody Kopp raced hard at Round 9 of the 2023 American Flat Track Championship, with Whale finishing in fourth and Kopp fifth position following a thrilling AFT Singles Main Event at the DuQuoin Mile.

After qualifying ninth, Whale made strong progress throughout the event with his KTM 450 SX-F, as he secured second position in the second heat race of the night. This earned the Australian entry into Dash-for-Cash, which resulted in P4. More advancements were made as the Main Event arrived, with Whale situated in a five-rider dual for the top spot, eventually crossing the line in P4 by a slender 0.081s margin.

Max Whale: “We improved every time we hit the track here at the DuQuoin Mile and got everything working really well. We started strong, made it into the Dash again, which was good, and then just worked hard – got into a groove in the Main Event, tried to get to the front as quick as I could. I ended up in a battle with five guys, which was awesome, a lot of fun, and I crossed the stripe in fourth. We’ve worked hard as a team and are stoked to head into Lima!”

Defending AFT Singles Champion Kopp began the round with P2 in qualifying, before racing to third place in his heat race. A hotly-contested Main Event saw Kopp battle hard as the top six were separated by less than a half a second, with the number one plate-holder ultimately crossing the line in fifth place – only 0.106s from victory – to keep himself right in title contention.

Kody Kopp: “Ended up P5 today, which is the best result we’ve had in a while, although there are a bunch of rounds coming up that I’m looking forward to. I wanted to get through these miles, because the results have been frustrating, and the consecutive off the box finishes have hurt the points chase. We’ll keep our heads up though, go into the next round which we won last year, and hope to do the same thing this time around.”

Next Race: Lima Half-Mile – Lima, Ohio – June 24, 2023

Round 9 Results

AFT Singles Main Event
1. Tom Drane, Yamaha
2. Chase Saathoff, Honda
3. Trent Lowe, Honda
4. Max Whale, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
5. Kody Kopp, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
OTHER KTM
8. Dalton Gauthier, KTM
13. Travis Petton IV, KTM
15. Declan Bender, KTM
16. Shayna Texter-Bauman, KTM
18. Landen Smith, KTM

American Motorcyclist Association announces 2023 U.S. ISDE Team

The American Motorcyclist Association proudly announces the 10 Trophy riders and 21 Club Team riders who will represent the United States at the 97th FIM International Six Days Enduro (ISDE), which takes place Nov. 6-11 in San Juan, Argentina — the fifth time the ISDE has been held in South America.

The 10 Trophy riders will compete as the U.S. World Trophy, Junior World Trophy and Women’s World Trophy teams. Every country participating in the ISDE is allowed four riders on its World Trophy Team, three riders age 23 or younger on its Junior Trophy Team, and three female riders on its Women’s team.

The U.S. Women’s World Trophy Team won in 2021, and previously had won in 2019 and 2007. The U.S. World Trophy Team last won the ISDE in 2019, which was the second ISDE World Trophy title for the United States. The U.S. Junior World Trophy Team last won in Argentina in 2014.

The 2023 U.S. World Trophy Team includes Taylor Robert, Johnny Girroir, Dante Oliveira and Cole Martinez.

“I’m looking forward to some redemption after our last year’s performance in France,” said KTM Director of Offroad Racing and ISDE Team Manager, Anti Kallonen, “and I can assure you, so are our riders. We have started our preparation now and will continue it until the end with only one goal in mind.”

“I’m pleased with the teams we were able to build,” Kallonen added. “Our Trophy team consists of four of the fastest riders in the country for the style of racing and terrain we will have in Argentina.”

The 2023 U.S. Women’s World Trophy Team includes Brandy Richards, Rachel Gutish and Korie Steede.

“I’m happy to announce we are bringing back the same Women’s team as last year,” said Kallonen. “They are hungry for redemption, and I expect great performances from all three riders.”

The 2023 U.S. Junior World Trophy Team, made up of riders age 23 and younger, includes Mateo Oliveira, Kai Aiello and Grant Davis.

“Our Junior Trophy team is expected to perform well, and a championship is long overdue. The last time we won the category was actually in San Juan, Argentina, in 2014,” Kallonen said.

The AMA’s two three-day qualifiers — one on the East Coast and one on the West Coast — resulted in the qualification of 16 individuals, while five riders were selected by the ISDE committee. Club teams and riders include:

Team XC Gear:
Josh Toth
Ryan Surratt
Austin Serpa

Team GTBN:
Jaden Dahners
Nathan Ferderer
Thorn Devlin

Team Missouri Mudders:
Jhak Walker
Trevor Maley
Cade Henderson

Team BRAAPtastic.com:
Zachary Toth
Preston Campbell
Axel Pearson

Team Steve Hatch Racing POTM:
Jackson Davis
Hunter Smith
Chase Bright

Team Eric Cleveland Memorial:
Kyle Tichenor
Nolan Cate
Ava Silvestri

Team The Elizabeth Scott Community:
Rick Emerson
Jeremy Shoning
John Beal

“Argentina has proven to be a demanding and challenging place for the ISDE in the past,” said AMA Offroad Manager Michael Jolly. “This year the event will be held at the same location as in 2014. This year’s qualifier events were scheduled to reflect Argentina’s terrain, allowing us to find the very best riders for the job. I believe our Club Teams will perform exceptionally, and they are expected to be in contention for the overall Club Team win.”

Club Team riders have started raising money to support their efforts to attend the 2023 ISDE. Check with individual riders on these teams to discover how you can help support their quest to represent the United States in Argentina this November.

The AMA’s ISDE effort would be impossible without the support of the ISDE Advisory Committee, which includes Jay and Jarred Hall, AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Jeff Fredette, Eric Fredette, Dave Chamberline, and Asa Abel, and the event’s current sponsors. Sponsors include KTM, BI-CON, FMF, Motorex, Rabaconda, Arai Helmets and Motion Pro.

To learn more about the U.S. ISDE team, visit AmericanMotorcyclist.com/isde/.

Those planning to travel and stay with the U.S. team can register at https://form.jotform.com/amatech/2023-ama-isde-registration. The deadline for registration is July 10.

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